First look–Arnold returns to the big screen, and brings everyone along for the ride

Enough of politics, enough of personal issues. It’s about time audiences get Arnold Schwartzenegger doing what we all love to seem him do–star in action movies. Brash, cool, obnoxiousness, big in every way, no one surpasses Arnold as the biggest action hero, although everyone who ever has come close will be joining him in the new movie, The Expendables 2.

I passed on the first of the series, The Expendables, when I had heard that Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwartzenegger signed up only for cameo roles. But it will be hard to pass up the sequel coming this summer. Every action hero who has ever been a BIG action hero from the 1980s onward has apparently signed on for this sequel. I’m not talking about guys like Cruise or Gibson or Damon. I’m talking about the guys who look like they could actually bend something, or someone, in half.

Here’s the preview:

So who’s on the team?

They’ve got Chuck Norris. What constellation of events had to occur to bring in Chuck? Did you hear he and Superman once had a bet? The loser had to start wearing his underwear outside his pants. Did you hear that when Batman needs help he turns on his Chuck Norris symbol? (We’re here all night, folks).

They even have Jean-Claude Van Damme as the apparent bad guy. Who doesn’t miss Van Damme and his mid-air balancing splits, flying 360 kicks, and cool accent? Bloodsport, Sudden Impact, Timecop? I’ve seen all his 1980s and early 1990s flicks over and over. Arnold says “I’m back” but I’m glad Van Damme’s back.

Sure, Jason Statham is back, too–probably the current mega-action star of every other action film Hollywood churns out. Check out The Italian Job if you want to see his best. Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren are back from the original, too.